I League Clubs Not Ready To Stomach Merger With ISL

The rumours and purported statements attributed to senior All India Football Federation (AIFF) officials that the ISL and the I League will be amalgamated some years from now are being rubbished by some owners of I League clubs in the country. “The ISL has been given recognition as a tournament by FIFA and it has been sold to Reliance by AIFF. How can AIFF merge the countries league with a tournament temporarily recognised by FIFA?” asked the owner of an I league club.

Despite AIFF  president Praful  Patel having assured owners  of the I league clubs, in a meeting  in early August in New Delhi ,that, “I League team will not be at an disadvantage with licensing rules if the I League is merged with ISL” , club owners are sure an amalgamation will only take football away from the mainstream- the general public.

"For us (FIFA), I-League and not ISL is India's biggest football competition. ISL is a championship of eight franchises for two months. You cannot have two leagues in a country. Football doesn't work like that. I-League is most important for development of football in India," FIFA Secretary General Jerome Valcke had said in a press conference in New Delhi on October 15, 2015. He said there was no clash between the I League and the  Indian Super League (ISL) as their identities and objectives are entirely different from one another. How can one then think of an amalgamation?

How many teams will Goa have in the ISl if the two are merged? Three? The ISL will end up splitting Goans in three ways. Will there be crowds? And what will our boys do if each team is supposed to have nine foreigners? The ISL is a financial spin off to a few in the AIFF. The FIFA is embroiled in a financial racket. So, is the AIFF now,’ stated the owner of an I league team  on condition of anonymity.

“Do you think the people in Bengal will allow something like this? Our clubs (Mohun Bagan and East Bengal) have over hundred years of history. ATK may have the money, we have the people. AIFF has a mandate too. It has to stick to it,” stated the president of a club from Bengal mocking statements emanating from New Delhi.

“The I League was discussed and nothing else. The meeting between the owners was on how to strengthen the I League and make it more economically viable and the meeting held the other day too deliberated only on the I League. The fate of the I league in case of the withdrawal of two teams –Pune FC and Bharat FC- will be discussed after the teams formally withdraw,” stated a representative of a club present.

“Corruption is rampant in AIFF as it is in FIFA. Earthworms are squirming out of the can in Zurich. Not yet in Delhi. Corruption is bound to be present where there is money. ISL has proved that it is all about money. So, why be blind?” asked another owner of an I League club.

AIFF President Praful Patel  was quoted on saying that there  was no question of downplaying the importance of I-league. "Let us not confuse the issue. ISL is a tournament that brings attention to football. It is like a booster dose," he said.

I League CEO Sunando Dhar had told The Goan that ,”the I league was there to stay .”

Money changes people and priorities with times. Money has transfigured FIFA. Is it going to take AIFF on a forlorn drive?